Battles Continue on the St. Croix River
Jessie Thomas-Blate, Coordinator, Most Endangered Rivers
November 14, 2012 | Most Endangered Rivers, Wild and Scenic Rivers
St. Croix, MN, WI | Jenni Ripley
Supporters of the Wild and Scenic St. Croix River in Minnesota are fighting another battle — this time against a gravel mine. A corporation is proposing to operate a gravel mine on the site of a dormant, unreclaimed gravel mine (known as the Zavoral Site). It is located along St. Croix Trail North, a State Scenic Byway.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the lower St. Croix's inclusion in the National Wild & Scenic Rivers system. American Rivers listed the St. Croix as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2011 due to the threat of a superhighway bridge that has since been approved by Congress. Now our partners, the National Parks Conservation Association, are diligently fighting the next battle to protect one of the most beautiful rivers in the Midwest.
Recently, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was completed for this project. However, many members of the public, including the National Park Service, found fault with the EIS. Regardless, the City of Scandia is considering a Conditional Use Permit for this project. On December 4, the Planning Commission will host a public meeting to review the permit application. Following the meeting, the Commission will make a recommendation to the Scandia City Council. The City Council will have until February 20, 2013 to make a determination on the application.
It is critical that the public attend this meeting to let the Commission know that the EIS was not adequate, and that a more complete analysis of the environmental impacts of the project should be completed. Apparently the noise alone from this mining operation - the sounds of excavating equipment and trucks moving 1.2 million tons of gravel - may plague the area for up to ten years, based on current proposed scenarios. Additionally, once the gravel has been mined, sand used for hydraulic fracturing will be available for mining within 50 feet of the surface at the site. While no frac sand proposals have been issued, this is a potential consideration for future impacts. This site must have a serious environmental assessment before such a project is allowed to proceed along a Wild and Scenic River corridor.
Meeting Information:
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Time: 7 pm
Location: Scandia Community Center; 14727 209th Street N., Scandia, MN 55073
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Comments List
Submitted by Mike at: December 9, 2012
Some of us, like myself, lived and swam, explored and treasured the St. Croix long before interstates and urbanization created devastation all along the river. No personal use which destroys habitat livability for the living species and ecosystems is appropritate. THese days I live near other rivers, and gravel mining has also seriously damaged these; the lower Mad, the Van Duzen are blights of gravel mining, even though they are flushed each high water season by fast high water which moves stones and gravel from the mountains above. Don't be fooled by claims of personal rights. The river is not property of any person or group, but a vital living path of health for ALL, or else merely an exploited dump for illusory financial wealth.
Submitted by Laura Coble at: November 18, 2012
The St. Croix River and its surrounding habitat is a valuable treasure, as are all our MN rivers. The state is finally making some progress toward restoring MN rivers to their natural, pollution-free condition. The prospect of mining and hydraulic fracturing close to the ground surface and water table, without knowing all the facts or the negative impact this project has already made elsewhere in our country, is an enormous step backward. The citizens of Scandia, and all MN citizens deserve to have a more thorough investigation of the negative effects of this project, or any project which could threaten wildlife and the human environment. Please, please seriously consider having a more complete analysis before proceeding with your decision!
Submitted by Greg Amundson at: November 16, 2012
I spend 2 - 3 days a week kayaking the St. Croix River from the Log Cabin Landing. I can show you areas where monster Gar live and Bald Eagles keep watch of your every move. I agree with most of what folks are worried about and also have many of the same concerns. But, I also have a home based business like many others on the river. It is one of my rights that I cherish as a property owner and it allows my family to live here and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us. I believe that once Hwy. 95 was built we forever lost the guarantee of a quiet river. On the weekends while kayaking I constantly hear Harley's roaring up and down the highway, planes constantly taking off from Osceola, weekenders at their cabins on the river remodeling and cutting firewood and much more. The River is a quiet magical place early in the morning, but after that, the surrounding hills come alive with societies din of all varieties. Mr. Zavoral should be granted a permit to reopen the pit, we need the gravel, He needs his Rights and I would like to see it completed and reclaimed. Lets not forget that without gravel we would not live near the river or have the highway system to access the St. Croix River. Trucks are a permanent part of Highway 95 and will always haul gravel since this is where Mother Nature left us these deposits.